Brackenridge's offense stymied in second round

Updated 11:31 pm, Saturday, November 24, 2012

nSAN MARCOS — A week ago, Brackenridge junior quarterback Ramon Richards and his teammates were celebrating the Eagles' first playoff victory since 1997.

Hopes of extending the good times ended Saturday afternoon as Leander Rouse powered its way to a 35-14 Class 4A Division I area-round playoff victory at Bobcat Stadium.

The difference for Brackenridge (7-5) in Saturday's contest and last week's 25-24 win over Alamo Heights was an inability to make big plays. The craft belonged to the Raiders (8-4), whose highlights included two fourth-down touchdown passes.

Richards completed 17 of 34 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown, while scoring another on a 1-yard plunge. He also was sacked six times and threw two interceptions.

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In addition, the running game was limited to 7 yards.

“We didn't execute like we know how to execute,” Richards said. “If we would have played to our full potential it would have been a game. But sometimes things aren't going to go your way.”

Rouse, which plays Gregory-Portland in the next round, jumped to a 21-7 halftime lead.

Brackenridge escaped trouble after fumbling the opening kickoff. But another chance came Rouse's way when the Raiders' foiled the Eagles on fourth-and-2 at the Brack 48.

Billy Ray McCrary, who rushed for 161 yards on 22 carries, burst through the Eagles' middle for a 20-yard run, before scoring on a 25-yard TD sprint with 7:59 left.

Rouse put together an 84-yard, 11-play drive on its next possession. Most of the work came on the ground, but the TD came on a fourth-and-13 play when Justin Pelt fired a 29-yard TD pass to Joey Beauchamp.

Brackenridge pulled within 14-7 in the second quarter on Richards' 19-yard TD strike to a leaping Montae Whorton.

The Raiders finished the half by turning Jordan Vise's first of two interceptions into Pelt's 9-yard touchdown run.

Rouse broke the game open with two TDs in the third quarter, including Pelt's 27-yard pass to McCrary on fourth-and-15.

“We never got our offense rolling,” Eagles coach Willie Hall said. “When it's not rolling it's hard to win a game, especially against a good team like Rouse. But we kept playing hard.”

Despite the loss, Richards was happy with Brack's play in his first year as QB.

“What we accomplished for Coach Hall is amazing,” he said. “We got him his 100th win and we won a playoff game. Next year, we would like to get him farther in the playoffs.”